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happy friends on a bike at the beach after weight loss procedure with dr jay suggs
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dr. jay suggs

MD FACS FASMBS

A native of Alabama, Dr. Jay Suggs, MD FACS FASMBS returned home after his general surgery training at the Mayo Clinic and bariatric surgery fellowship at Princeton, NJ, to start his first bariatric surgery Center of Excellence in Decatur. He also practices in Huntsville.

Dr. Suggs is a board-certified surgeon, and is also a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a fellow of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. He has degrees in Biology and Chemistry from Emory University, and his medical degree from UAB. Dr. Suggs, together with his wife and 3 daughters, live in Decatur, where they are an active part of their community.

Dr. Suggs has special interests in medical education and research, serving as an associate professor of surgery at the UAB Huntsville Regional Campus, as well as the director for the Huntsville campus of the ACOM and VCOM-Auburn medical schools. He has been involved in the leadership of multiple professional organizations and hospitals. Dr. Suggs is also serving on the Board of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama and the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners.

Dr. Suggs has performed over 3,500 bariatric procedures, including the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, the laparoscopic gastric bypass, the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, and bariatric revision/redo surgery. He also is among the first surgeons in the U.S. to perform the Orbera intragastric balloon, a non-surgical weight loss device.

publications

  • “Treating Postoperative Pain – A Better Way.” William Jay Suggs, MD. Medical Digest. Pg. 1, 4-5. Winter 2020.

  • “Outcomes of Pain Control in Post-Op Laparoscopic Gastic Sleeve Patients on Either a Narcotic of a Non-Narcotic Regimen: A Retrospective Study.” Stephanie Mitchell, DO, Erin Gordon, DO, Ben Pare, DO, Adrienne Gonzales, DO, Jade Buckley, CRNA, Jay Suggs, MD. Surgery for Obesity and Related Disease – Oct 01, 2019 15/10, Supplement/Pages S170-S171
  • “Perforated peptic ulcer occurrence in the bypassed stomach and duodenum following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass,” William Suggs, MD; Tyler Byrd, BS; Kenneth Todd Foreman, MD. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, 11:S112-113, Nov/Dec 2015.
  • “Anastomotic stricture, bleeding, and ulcer following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a comparison between the 21 and 25 mm circular staplers,” W. Jay Suggs, Wael Kouli, Michael Lupovici, Wai Yip Chau, and Robert E. Brolin. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, 3:508, Sept/Oct 2007.
  • “Stricture, bleeding, and ulcer following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass constructed using a circularly stapled gastrojejunostomy,” W. Jay Suggs, Wael Kouli, Michael Lupovici, and Robert E. Brolin. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, 1:248, May/June 2005.
  • “Stricture, bleeding, and ulcer following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass constructed using a circularly stapled gastrojejunostomy,” W. Jay Suggs, Wael Kouli and Robert E. Brolin, presented at ASBS June, 2005.
  • “Outcomes of Ogilvie’s syndrome: a marker for mortality,” W. Jay Suggs and Tonia M. Young-Fadok, presented at DDW/SSAT May, 2000.
  • Pseudoobstruction of the Colon, W. Jay Suggs and Tonia M. Young-Fadok, “The Practice of General Surgery,” ed. K. Bland. Oct. 2001.
  • “Pseudoxanthoma elasticum and the association with aortic and peripheral vascular disease,” W. Jay Suggs and Audra A. Noel, presented at the Minnesota Surgical Society Oct. 2001.
  • “Mini Review of an Opioid-Sparing Protocol for the Management of Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy.” W. Jay Suggs, Garrett G. Perry. Journal of Anesthesiology and Pain Therapy, 2(3):14-17, 2021.
  • The Farmhouse Diet, by Wm. Jay Suggs, MD. Alfred J. Pennypacker Pfine Purveyors of Publishing. 2021.
  • “An opioid-sparing protocol improves recovery time and effectively reduces opioid use after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.” Benjamin Pardue, Austin Thomas, Jake Buckley, William J. Suggs. Obesity Surgery, 30(12), 4919-4925, 2020.

leadership

  • Director of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Crestwood Medical Center, August 2019 to present
  • State of Alabama Physicians Assistant Advisory Committee, July 2019 to present
  • Board of Censors Medical Assoc. of the State of Alabama, 2019 to present
  • Fellow of Federation of State Medical Boards, 2019 to present
  • Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, 2019 to present
  • State Committee on Public Health, 2019 to present
  • Decatur Heritage Christian Academy Board of Education member, 2016-2024
  • Nominating Committee Chairman, Medical Assoc. of the State of Alabama, 2018-19
  • Chairman State Council on Medical Education, April 2015 to April 2017
  • Surveyor American College of Surgeons MBSAQIP Bariatric accreditation program, May 2014 to present
  • Crestwood Medical Center Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Committee Member, September 2012 to present
  • Counsellor-5th District, College of Counsellors- Medical Assoc. of the State of Alabama, April 2012 to present
  • Morgan County Medical Society President, January 2011 to January 2012
  • Delegate Medical Assoc. of the State of Alabama annual session Apr. 2010 and Washington Gov. Affairs Conference Feb. 2012, Feb. 2013, Feb. 2014, Feb 2015, Feb 2016
  • Decatur General Hospital Div. Chief/General Surgery Jan. 2010 to Jan. 2012
  • Morgan County Medical Society Vice-president, November 2009 to Dec. 2010
  • Decatur General Hospital Clinical Review Committee, May 2009 to July 2012
  • Morgan County Medical Society Board of Censors, March 2009 to March 2013 (Chairman Jan. 2012 to 2013)
  • American College of Surgeons Cancer Liaison Physician-Decatur General Cancer Committee, March 2008 to March 2012
  • Calhoun Community College Surgical Technologist Program Advisory Board, 2007-2019
  • Chief of Surgery at Parkway Medical Center, January 2007 to January 2011
  • Chairman of Bariatric Quality Committee at Parkway Medical Center, April 2005 to July 2012
  • Medical Director of the Surgical Weight Loss Center-Parkway Medical Center, April 2005 to July 2012
  • Chief Resident Mayo Clinic, 2001-2002
  • Co-Chairman, Class of 1997 Transcript Committee, 1993-95
  • Vice-President Stipe Society of Scholars of Emory, 1992-93
  • President, Phi Sigma, Biological Sciences Honor Society, 1991-93
  • Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Crestwood Medical Center, 2021-2023
  • Director of Medical Education at Crestwood Medical Center, 2017 to present

teaching

  • Director Medical Education Crestwood Medical Center 2013-present
  • Site Director AMEC/ACOM Huntsville Campus 2013 to present
  • Surgery clerkship preceptor at the Alabama Medical Education Consortium Decatur Campus 2010 to 2013
  • Surgery clerkship preceptor UAB School of Medicine Huntsville Regional Campus (associate professor of surgery), 2007 to present Chief Surgical Resident, 2001-2002 Teaching assistant in gross anatomy at the University of Alabama School of Medicine, 1996 Lab instructor in biology at Emory, 1993 Teaching assistant in biology at Emory, 1990-91
  • Chief Surgical Resident, 2001-2002
  • Teaching assistant in gross anatomy at the University of Alabama School of Medicine, 1996
  • Lab instructor in biology at Emory, 1993
  • Teaching assistant in biology at Emory, 1990-91

honors

  • Outstanding Volunteer Faculty UAB Huntsville Regional Campus 2013
  • Teaching Award-Mayo Surgical Assistants Program, 2000
  • Dean’s Award (UASOM), 1997
  • Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, 1996
  • National Institutes of Health Summer Research Scholar, 1994
  • University of Alabama School of Medicine Scholarship, 1993-97
  • Who’s Who Among College and University Students, 1992
  • Phi Beta Kappa, 1992
  • Howard Hughes Research Fellowship, 1992
  • Phi Sigma, Biological Sciences Honor Society, 1991
  • Dean’s List (Emory), 1989-1993
  • Stipe Society of Emory Scholarship, 1989-1993
  • Wal-Mart Foundation Scholarship, 1989
  • Eagle Scout Award, 1988